Three siblings navigate a touchy relationship between them , without understanding where and when the distance began. Can they come to terms with past issues and move forward as one family?
Recorded at the Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival 2023
The Bloomsbury Set have been well documented but Sophie Cunningham found herself fascinated by the over arching influence of Leonard Wolff on literature and social mores. His ‘fever’ was sexual desire, and he felt himself overwhelmed by it.
Recorded at Bellingen Writers and Readers Festival 2023
Josh mysteriously disappears while travelling and searching for him reveals more about the relationships between his friends as the mystery surrounding his disappearance deepens.
Recorded at the Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival 2023
A photographer concerned with documenting the visible evidence of climate change lands on a small island in Northern Europe with her two teenage children. In the first few moments of her landing she witnesses and records a terrible tragedy. Then the house they are given to live in is full of strange markings from the past, carved into the wood of the beams. A novel of changing social mores tangled with superstitions from the past.
Recorded at Byron Writers Festival 2023
It’s an oft repeated history of rural areas that new comers bring change and also have to earn their acceptance. Often fresh perspectives challenge traditional and old ways and clashes and misunderstandings happen. Conflict is often resolved with communication, and also time itself will alter long held views. This is the underlying trope of ‘Repentance‘, a logging town built on forest wealth that is running out of time and favour.
Recorded for ‘Arts Canvass’ Bay FM
Next week Tristan Bancks with ‘Ginger Meggs’.
In her interview Melissa revealed that she felt her previous novel ‘Mullumbimby’ was too accessible, and in this new novel she wanted her characters to be perhaps a little less likeable, a little more desperate. They are certainly dealing with desperate situations. For her protagonist, the only way up in life is to fight his way through – literally.
Recorded at Byron Writers Festival 2018
‘Hey Brother‘ is a beautifully written book that charts a difficult year in a young man’s life.
His brother goes to war, his father is estranged from his mother who drowns her anxiety in alcohol, and he finds first love.
It’s a lot to take on, but Jarrah’s protagonist, Trysten, rises to the occasion . Then his brother Shaun returns from the war, and Trysten thinks everything will be okay , but the family’s troubles are just beginning.This novel was written with the assistance of the Byron Writers Centre mentor ship program.
Author Jarrah Dundler
Recorded on Arts Canvass at Bay FM 99.9 2018
‘Position doubtful’ is an old surveyors map term used for areas where it is almost impossible to get a landmark for bearing.In her memoir , Kim Mahood uses this term to apply to her memories of the history of a homestead that used to belong to her family and her deep attachment to the land and its indigenous peoples that surround this place. Here she reads from her opening chapter and later in our interview explains what has drawn her to write of this geographical place that is located in her heart and of the personal charts she creates to explain its history. ‘The Fairvale Ladies Book Club’ is also about living in the Australian outback, but Sophie Green’s central character, is newly arrived as a bride from London and struggling to find friends and her feet in a radically different land.
Music tracks: ‘ Periphery’ by Belle Miners
Kim Mahood and Sophie Green were recorded at the Byron Writers Festival.
Our two authors today have set their work in tropical areas, and it is this ‘sense of place’ that imbues their characters trajectory.
In Jesse Blackadder’s ‘ 60 Seconds’ – a move from Tasmania to the Northern rivers of NSW provides the backdrop to a family tragedy, while in Ashley Hay’s ‘ 100 small lessons’ the character of Lucy has moved from Sydney to Brisbane. Both these novels are about coping with loss and change.
Music tracks :‘Vulnerable –Angie Hudson; ‘When I get There’ – Lucie Thorne
Recorded at the Byron writers Festival 2017
Two authors and three novels in this edition. Romance but really adult fiction and wonderful escapist stuff for the holidays. Lesley Truffle’s novels are set in olden Tasmania and in her interview she tells me why while Cassandra Dean sets her heroine in that wonderful standby for creepy Georgian carryings on – the Moors of England !
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Featured music track: ‘Silvermines’ by Shane Howard from ‘Clan’.
Lesley Truffle and Cassandra Dean recorded in Melbourne 2017